Morning journal and courier., 1887-06-10

for that reason now regret that 1t was ever
 written"
 ter expresses the earnest hope that the pen alty for such "sins' as in the opinion of the
 Grand lodge he may have committed may not be visited upon Hiram lodge. The hope proved, however, to be vain one, as no un- prejudiced observer of the course pursued by the Grand lodge could have failed to note the artful use made in the communication in question to fan the fires of prejudice already existing against Hiram lodge.
 Leaving the worshipful grand master to reflect at his leisure upon the "false repre- sentations" involved in the use made by him of the personal correspondence in question, attention must be called to another matter involving similar revelation of that off cials peculiar ideas of manly rectitude. In the interview referred to he is I made to ssy as follows: "On Feb | ruary 24th, with the other grand officers, I visited New Haven and we met ! some members of Hiram at the hotel. The case was presented to them and one of them ! said: Gentlemen, will be frank with you. | am satisfied, after hearing your presenta- I tioa of the case, that Hiram is wrong and you are right; but right or wrong, shall go | with Hiram lodge in the position she has l taken, and think voice the sentiment of a
 InH Hiram % iodge.'" This w was in reality a | quotation from the address with which ! the worshipful grand master regaled the Grand lodge at its recent session. It happened l that the member of Hiram lodge alluded to was present when the address was read, and at it's conclusion, having secured the priv ilege of the floor, proceeded to make a most emphatic and unqualified denial of the state ment of the grand master. Although charged sauarely in the presence of the two hundred or more members of the Grand lodge with having put words into anothers mouth that were never used, the grand master had not a
 word to say for himself then. He preferred to wait a month or two and repeat the state
 ment through the medium of newspaper.
 The actual fact regarding the Elliott House interview is that the member of Hiram lodge referred to did say that he proposed to go with his lodge, fright or wrong" He dld not, however, say, nor has he ever for mo- ment thought, that his lodge was wrong.
 The admission, if it can be called an admis- sion, that he did make at the interview was that compromise of the controversy was possibly feasible if sufficient time could be had to put it into operation. The point made by the grand officers present was that if Hiram lodge would only recognize the tecE- nical right of the Grand lodge to depose it's officers and go into an election the controver- sy over the right of the lodge to continue it's ancient form of work could be left to be de- cidsd in some manner agreeable to all parties concerned. Acting upon this suggestion the following communication to the grand master was prepared and submitted to the members of Hiram lodge at the communication held March F and received the signatures of all present except two:
 ''To the Most Worshipful Grand Master of the
 Grand Lodge, +. and A. M., of the State
 of Connecticut:
 eve, the undersigned, members ot Hiram lodge No. 1, F. and A. M., seriously depre- cate the relations at present existing between their lodge and the Grand lodge of the State of Connecticut, and while we are firmly con- vinced that the Grand lodge transcended its authority in attempting to interfere with the ancient form of work of Hiram lodge and that its edict issued in pursuance of that attempt was unjustidable, illegal and there fore void, and that some of the proceedings on the part of the Grand lodge subsequent to the issuing of said edict have lacked both regularity and that spirit of Masonic courtesy which ought at all times to prevail, we are nevertheless desirous of an equitable arrange ment of existing difficulties and restoration of former anlicable relations; and to that end we are ready to recognize the technical right of the Grand lodge to depose the officers of Q subordinate lodge or to annul or suspend a charter of it's own granting for any cause which may seem te it proper.
 "We, the undersigned, members of Hiram lodge, therefore respectfully and in good faith petition for such action by the Grand lodge,
 
 will bring about full restoration of our lodge to it's former relations with the Grand lodge. with the full understanding and def- nite agreement that we shall be permitted to continue our work after it's ancient form un- til the question of our right and the right of the Grand lodge in the matter can be finally
 determined in some manner acceptable to all parties concerned, and that all members of
 our lodge shall be eligible to office under the
 ordinary rules regulating such matters"
 This communication was forwarded to the grand master the next day and was received
 by him according to his own statement on the 19th This is the communication refer. red to by the grand master in his newspaper interview as 'Ean attempt at compromise" set on foot ''the last thing before the meet ing of the Grand lodge" AS a matter of fact it was received by the grand master over month before the meeting of the Grand lodge and two days before charges were served upon the lodge. In fact the first re- sponse which the lodge had to it's "attempt at compromise" was a visit from Hartford county sheriff with summons to appear for trial upon charge of high Masonic crime and misdemeanor! The next response was a communication from the grand master say ing in substance that he could not consider compromise, as he had decided to turn the whole matter over to the Grand lodge. And yet it is fact that this same grand master on the very day that the communication to him was prepared, while in the city of Hart ford, took occasion to interview a member of Hiram lodge, temporarily in that city, and urge upon him the advisabilitv of get ting together and trying to arrange some settlement of the controversy. This plain statement of facts embodies it's own com mentary.
 A brief alIuaion to the final fate of this attempt to compromise" will perhaps not be out of place in this connection. Early in the morning of the day on which the Grand lodge assembled in special session the master of Hiram lodge, in company with three other officers, proceeded to Hartford to secure an interview with the grand master. Their ob- ject was to ascertain whether the Grand lodge desired to consider compromise before proceeding to the trial of Hiram lodge. If so, they were ready to discuss terms. If not, the lodge having filed it's answer had no more to say. After spending nearly the whole forenoon in search of the grand mas ter they were informed at Il o'clock, the hour for the assembling of the Grand lodge, that he could be found in one of the ante-rooms of the hall where the session was to be held. Proceeding thither they were ushered into his presence and curtly informed that they could say what they had to say while he read 8 letter. It will suffice to say of this inter view that had it been personal business on which the members of Hiram lodge had been present, it would have been cut short at it's very beginning. Finally the grand master grudgingly vouchsafed to say that "the thing" referring to the proposed comprom- ise, would be presented to the Grand lodge. Obliged to content themselves with this in- formation the committee of Hiram repaired to the hall and awaited developments. After the grand master had completed his address, 8 proposition of compromise based upon the scheme outlined in the communication above quoted was presented at the request of the Hiram members by Past Grand Master Wal dron of this city. It was promptly greeted with motion to table. The vote upon this motion may be fairly considered to have been test one. The grand master professed to doubt the show of hands and rising vote was taken, when by a goodly majority the Grand lodge decided that it would not table, thereby emphatically indicating it's prefer ence for g consideration of the question of compromise before going into trial of the lodge on the charges. This action was plain ly distasteful to the managers of the gather ing. It was thereupon voted to refer the of compromise along with the charges against the lodge to 8 special com mittee, upon which the grand master prompt ly appointed three of the permanent" and non members of the bodyWith equal this committee reported in favor